College Essays

2024-25 Common App Essay Tips, the Prompts, and How to Answer Them

2024-25 Common App Essay Tips, the Prompts, and How to Answer Them

The Common Application essay prompts are confirmed for the Class of 2025. Get started on your Common App essay now with these Common App essay tips.  Every student using the Common Application is required to complete the Personal Statement, also known as “the Common App essay,” which will be visible to most, if not all,…

Proceed with Caution: Relying on ChatGPT for College Admissions Essays

Proceed with Caution: Relying on ChatGPT for College Admissions Essays

While using AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT is undeniably convenient and efficient, using it to craft college admissions essays is extremely risky. From the hundreds of essays we’ve read over the past year, the use of ChatGPT is not hard to spot. Most student essays that utilized ChatGPT felt extremely cold, were well above the…

A Guide — with Links — to the Supplemental College Admission Essays

A Guide — with Links — to the Supplemental College Admission Essays

Colleges and universities that have supplemental college admission essays release their prompts each summer, usually on or before August 1, which is when the Common Application opens for each new application cycle. And every year, International College Counselors compiles a list of these essay prompts as they become available. Sometimes the prompts are the same as…

Nine Common App Essay Tips to Get Your Student Writing

Nine Common App Essay Tips to Get Your Student Writing

The “Common App Essay,” the “Personal Statement,” the “College Essay” – no matter what you call it, the 650-word essay required by most colleges plays a pivotal role in a student’s application. All students can use Common App essay tips. While a student’s transcript remains the most important aspect of a college application, the essay…

The 2023-24 Common Application Essay Prompts and How to Answer Them

The 2023-24 Common Application Essay Prompts and How to Answer Them

The Common Application essay prompts are confirmed. Get started on your college admissions personal statement now.  Last week, the Common Application announced that the Common App essay prompts for the 2023-24 application season will remain the same as last year’s. All students applying via the Common Application must write the personal statement (aka “the Common…